About Us
Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medical system, is practiced and promoted by the 120-year-old charitable organization Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal (AVS). Patients from all over India and abroad can access traditional Ayurvedic medicines as well as genuine Ayurvedic therapies and treatments through AVS.
The late Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier, a visionary physician and philanthropist, founded AVS at Kottakkal in Kerala, India more than a century ago on October 12, 1902. It began essentially as a village clinic but has since developed into a multi-unit, multi-disciplinary, multi-functional multi-crore organisation.
NABH accredited Ayurvedic Hospital & Research Centre’s at Kottakkal, Delhi and Kochi provides traditional Ayurvedic medications, treatments and professional medical advice. In these hospitals, traditional Panchakarma and other unique treatments of Kerala are made available and are managed by knowledgeable Ayurvedic Physicians. For a variety of debilitating illnesses, these treatments have been found to be very effective.
A Charitable Hospital established at Kottakkal by AVS, provides free treatment, therapy, and medicines to deserving patients both in Ayurveda and Modern Medicine. Clinical research projects are also carried out here with a focus on cancer and to support the development of new drugs.
Arya Vaidya Sala also has its domains in Manufacturing medicines, standardization, quality assurance, marketing, R&D, administration, ecological conservation, and sustainable development.
AVS has three modern production facilities with fully equipped quality control labs at Kottakkal, Kanjikode (Palakkad, Kerala) and Nanjangud (Mysore, Karnataka) where more than 550 traditional and new generation formulations are produced.
The Marketing Department of Arya Vaidya Sala plays a vital role in the worldwide distribution of medicines produced in these three factories. The distribution of formulations is enabled through a network of 26 Branch Clinics. These Branches also provide free consultations by experienced Physicians. Medicines are also distributed through more than 1650 authorized dealerships in India, Middle East, and the Far East. AVS also conducts educational programs, cultivates medicinal plants, publishes Ayurvedic periodicals and books, and engages in research activities.
The Research & Development Department is engaged in product and process-related research and QA efforts. Research in collaboration with AYUSH, DST, DAE, and IIT are undertaken here. This is recognised by AYUSH as an approved testing lab. The institution's Research & Development Department is also actively working on research projects to modernize the production and quality assurance of ayurvedic medicines. In order to conduct contemporary research on the various facets of medicinal plants, the Centre for Medicinal Plants Research (CMPR) was founded at Kottakkal in 2003. The Department of AYUSH of the Indian government has now designated CMPR as a Centre of Excellence.
As part of a project for the conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants, AVS takes on the task of planned cultivation of medicinal plants in its herbal gardens.
The Publications Department publishes a range of books on Ayurveda and the medical periodical "Aryavaidyan", which is published quarterly. Publications Department has till date published more than 200 books on Ayurveda and its related disciplines. AVS also partakes in academic pursuits. Annual Ayurvedic Seminars are held on the premise that knowledge needs to be updated and upgraded constantly. The Seminars has resulted in continued interaction and academic exchange between scholars and professionals.
P S Varier founded an Ayurveda Pathasala as a formal educational institution in 1917. This Padhasala's later transformed as the Vaidyaratnam P.S. Varier Ayurveda College, affiliated with the Kerala University of Health Sciences with Ayurveda graduate and postgraduate programs. As stated in the founder's Will, AVS provides the college with financial and administrative support.
AVS operates a Kathakali Academy where the art of Kathakali theatre is taught and practiced. P S Varier was an art enthusiast and founded a dramatic group that later evolved into the renowned Kathakali group, P.S.V. Natyasangham with eminent artists who stage Kathakali performances in throughout the world.
